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cnbc.com
JD.com takes on Amazon in Europe as China's e-commerce titans expand globally
JD.com is pushing same-day delivery and international brands as a way to help it compete with Amazon.
cnbc.com
Asia-Pacific markets trade mixed as oil hovers near $100 amid escalating U.S.-Iran tensions
Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed as investors continued to monitor elevated oil prices and the latest developments in the escalating U.S.-Iran conflict.
theguardian.com
UK housing costs rise 41% over five years for renters and owners, study shows
Borrowers coming off fixed deals hit hard as Savills says big spike in interest payments made up half the overall rise UK households spent a record £226bn to keep a roof over their heads last year, figures showed on Monday, with mortgage borrowers finishing fixed-rate deals particularly hard hit by rising payments.Overall housing costs have gone up by £66bn over the past five years, a rise of 41%, the property group Savills said. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Taxpayer bill for saving Scunthorpe steel furnaces could top £1.5bn by 2028, auditor says
National Audit Office highlights benefits of state rescue for jobs and orders but warns of continuing high cost The cost of keeping the UK’s last remaining blast furnaces going at British Steel’s Scunthorpe plant could exceed £1.5bn by 2028 if it continues at its current rate, according to the government’s spending watchdog.Ministers took the plant into public control in April last year, after its Chinese owner – industrial firm Jingye – threatened to shut down the loss-making site. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Starmer to set out support plan for heating oil costs
Households have faced a sharp rise in the cost of heating oil since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war with Iran.
cnbc.com
U.S. oil prices top $100 as Trump administration threatens strikes on Iran's crude export facilities
The U.S. strikes on Kharg Island and Trump's threat to hit Iran's oil infrastructure mark a major escalation in the war, according to JPMorgan.
cnbc.com
Trump weighing options to strike Iran's critical oil hub, UN Ambassador Waltz says
Israel says it has killed two senior Iranian intelligence officials as oil loading reportedly resumes in the UAE's Fujairah port following a fire.
cnbc.com
Democrats blast FCC Chair Carr's broadcast license threats as anti-First Amendment, 'totalitarian'
Carr on Saturday blasted broadcasters shortly after President Donald Trump called reports that Iran struck five U.S. tanker planes "fake news."
bbc.com
Starmer speaks to Trump about importance of reopening Strait of Hormuz
The leaders discussed the need to "end the disruption to global shipping", No 10 says.
cnbc.com
Why the United Arab Emirates is a target for Iran's aggression
Iran is looking to test a state that has positioned itself as the Gulf's safest bridge between East and West — and the future of the region.
cnbc.com
Bank stocks have been crushed this year. 2 of our names should weather the storm
The businesses of Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo should be largely insulated from the three major headwinds facing the industry.
theguardian.com
Beyond the strait: why attacks on Kharg Island could keep oil prices high
Oil could pass 2008 record of $147.50 a barrel as damage and field closures risk compounding supply shock caused by Iran warAbout 20 miles off the coast of Iran lies the source of the petrostate’s economic lifeblood and the latest target of US military aggression: an 8 sq mile coral island through which nine in every 10 barrels of Iranian crude passes each day.The US president’s decision to launch a weekend attack on Kharg Island, the home of Iran’s processing hub and the heart of its economy, is an unsurprising counterstrike to the Iranian regime’s ongoing chokehold on the oil market’s trade artery. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Florida’s real estate ‘gold rush’ draws the super-rich as rising costs push others out
The luxury property surge fuels growth in Miami, but a poll finds many residents weighing an exit over housing and living costsTo a casual observer, everything in south Florida’s real estate garden is looking rosy. There’s a “gold rush” in Miami as ultra-wealthy buyers snap up mega-mansions and luxuriously appointed condos as soon as they hit the market; and the Guardian has also reported recently on the “Mamdani effect” of elite New Yorkers arriving in the sunshine state with bulging pocketbooks in search of a high-priced escape from the city’s new mayor.Yet alongside the boom, there are rumblings of a more troubling parallel reality. Undoubtedly, the billionaire class is helping to pump even more dollars into an already thriving Florida economy. But as prices rise and the less affluent find everything from housing and insurance to gas and groceries increasingly expensive, many are considering doing something about it. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
AI could give us our lives back – if we don’t blow it
Could we be at the beginning of a change never before seen by humans – allowing us to escape the drudgery of work?The other day I pulled into the parking lot of a client’s offices and in the spot next to me was a woman sitting in her car blasting music. She caught me looking and rolled down her window and said, “I’ll be inside in a minute … Just enjoying my last few moments of freedom!”Is this way we want to live? No, it’s not. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Cruel hoax’ or ‘work-life balance nirvana’: whatever happened to the four-day work week?
It has been years since the four-day work week was floated as a solution to everything from traffic congestion to burnout. So why aren’t we all doing it now?Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailDuring the global soul-searching that followed the rupture of Covid-19 lockdowns, one idea for how we might live better suddenly seemed plausible: the four-day work week.The model is simple but somewhat counterintuitive. Employees work fewer hours for the same salary while getting the same amount of (or even more) work done. Advocates say this is made possible by reducing meeting times, streamlining workflows and prioritising work more efficiently.Sign up for a weekly email featuring our best reads Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Stout clobber? Guinness tie-up features £1,295 ‘pub carpet’ jumper
Brand enlists JW Anderson to help brew up 17-piece range of luxury fashionwear, from ‘beer towel’ shorts to branded trousers and topsYou too can look like a pub carpet – and for the bargain price of £1,295. Such sartorial elegance – perhaps an option for anyone stepping out to celebrate St Patrick’s Day this week – is the aesthetic love-child of a partnership between Guinness and the luxury clothing brand JW Anderson.The tie-up, launched earlier this month, allows fashionistas to get their hands on a range of Guinness wear that exploits the continuing metamorphosis of the “black stuff” from unfashionable pub staple to social media status symbol. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Here are the 5 big things we're watching in the stock market in the week ahead
Nvidia's influential GTC conference is taking a backseat to the war in the Middle East.
cnbc.com
Global week ahead: Price pressure in the pipeline
Keeping inflation under control becomes a critical task for central banks.
bbc.com
We will intervene on energy bills if necessary, says Miliband
Oil and gas prices have surged due to the US-Israel war in Iran, with fears over the cost of living.
theguardian.com
Relief for some of Britain’s poorest lands at right moment to cushion Iran aftershocks | Heather Stewart
Timely end of two-child limit plus a healthy uptick in universal credit signals ‘life-changing’ boost to Britons most exposed to TrumpflationIt doesn’t involve warships, drones or strategic oil stocks, but one of Labour’s most potent weapons for containing the economic aftershocks from the Iran war for the UK is about to be unleashed: the scrapping of the two-child limit.If the cost of essential goods spikes as a result of high oil prices it is the poorest households who will be the most exposed. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Here’s the news from Iran – Donald Trump is making America lose wars again | Simon Tisdall
Humiliating failure now looms, as symbolically damaging to US global standing and national self-esteem as Afghanistan or IraqDonald Trump menaces the world. He’s global public enemy number one. He’s steadily losing the illegal war with Iran he started but cannot stop. His violence-addicted Israeli sidekick, Benjamin Netanyahu, is terrorising Lebanon. And ordinary people everywhere, their security threatened, face a huge economic bill for his reckless folly.Add Trump’s war-making to his daily debasing of democracy, appeasing of Russia, punitive tariffs, climate crisis denial and flouting of international law, and it’s clear this White House travesty has gone on long enough. Americans must put their house in order and act decisively to restrain someone who endangers us all. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Price caps, taking the stairs, and short-sleeved shirts: How countries are coping with the Iran war energy shock
Some countries have imposed price caps and released oil stockpiles to maintain energy supplies, while others are trying to reduce consumption.
theguardian.com
America needs a movement to curb billionaires' power | Steven Greenhouse
The country’s 900 billionaires have far too much influence over our government and economy. Here’s how we can reduce the power of the ultra-richNot a day goes by without some news about billionaires throwing their weight around to bend the system in their favor or about politicians giving them tax cuts, government contracts or pardons. In today’s new Gilded Age, the 900-plus billionaires in the US have far too much influence over our elections, our economy, our government policies and our news media, and it’s urgent for Americans to create a movement to curb their power in order to preserve what’s left of our democracy and assure we have an economy with some basic fairness.It’s deeply troubling that billionaires have far more power in shaping our nation’s politics and policies than do average Americans, whether they’re auto workers, teachers, nurses, carpenters or supermarket cashiers. What’s more, it’s deeply disturbing that so many billionaires support the most authoritarian president in US history, whether by donating to his campaign or his gilded ballroom.Steven Greenhouse is a journalist and author, focusing on labour and the workplace, as well as economic and legal issues Continue reading...
theguardian.com
From Park Lane to Palm Beach: London club owner eyes Florida rival to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago
Exclusive: Robin Birley closes in on Sunshine State venue as wealthy Britons flock to area around Donald TrumpA London private members’ club owner is closing in on a deal for a venue in Palm Beach, in the hopes of creating a rival to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago and to take advantage of an influx of wealthy British people to the Florida region.Robin Birley is understood to be close to securing a property for his latest club, part financed by the billionaire Reuben brothers, who in 2024 were named the third-richest family in the UK by the Sunday Times Rich List. Continue reading...
bbc.com
How the Iran war may affect your money and bills
The conflict in the Middle East could raise the cost of petrol, household energy bills and even food.
theguardian.com
One of Britain’s last major chemical plants at risk as energy prices surge
If costs stay high for the next three months, US owner Peter Huntsman says he will close the site on TeessideThe American owner of one of Britain’s last major chemicals plants has said he will close the site if energy prices remain at their current levels for the next three months.Peter Huntsman, whose family built Huntsman Corporation into a global chemicals empire, said the recent jump in gas prices fuelled by the Iran conflict was “another nail in the coffin” for European heavy industry. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘The fish fled’: Nile fisherman earning more from collecting plastic than fish
Mohammed Ahmed Sayed Mohammed is among those redeploying his skills for a local recycling company that is cleaning up the NileAt 6am, Mohammed Ahmed Sayed Mohammed steers his boat from al-Qarsaya island through Cairo’s Nile waters towards the capital’s riverside clubs. Fifteen years ago, he searched for fish. Now he hunts plastic bottles.“The fish fled from the plastic chokehold,” said Sayed, who has lived on the Giza island since arriving from Assiut, further south on the Nile, as a 14-year-old fishing apprentice. He never returned to his village, marrying locally and raising three children who now live alongside him with their 12 grandchildren on the island housing 200 families. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘The chef is a metre away from you’: the cosy allure of micro-restaurants
Tiny eateries such as the award-winning Gwen in Wales, which holds just eight customers, are spreading across the UKIt started with the portion sizes, as all-you-can-eat buffets were reduced to bite-size small plates. Then the menus started to decrease, with pages of dishes shrinking to an A5 sheet of paper.Now restaurants are undergoing another round of downsizing. Micro-restaurants, which usually seat fewer than 20 people, are gradually spreading across the UK. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘DM your details’: Travellers warned of scam airline accounts as Iran war disrupts flights
Criminals exploiting Middle East crisis by targeting customers seeking help or refunds from affected carriersYour flight has been delayed as a result of the Middle East crisis and you want to find out what’s happening, so you go online for an answer. You find a social media account run by the airline you are booked with and post a question, and get a reply offering help.You’re asked to send a direct message with details, which seems reasonable. A conversation starts and you are told to give your phone number as you may be due compensation. This is where it all starts going wrong: instead of being given money, you have it taken. Although it looked official, the account that replied was a scam. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
DOJ to appeal judge's block of subpoenas to Fed in Jerome Powell criminal investigation
The Department of Justice's appeal likely will cause Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to remain in his post beyond the end of his term.
cnbc.com
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Strait of Hormuz: 'Don't need to worry about it'
The Strait of Hormuz, the world's most critical chokepoint for oil shipments, has been effectively closed since the U.S. and Israel began the war on Iran.
cnbc.com
Trump says he thinks Russian leader Putin is helping Iran in war
Russian leaders told President Trump they aren't sharing intelligence with Iran as it fights the U.S. and Israel, special envoy Steve Witkoff said this week.
bbc.com
Banknotes, beavers and a very British backlash
Politicians are furious Churchill will be replaced on banknotes. The RSPCA wants rats and pigeons to feature.
bbc.com
'Gruesome' war bets fuel calls for crackdown on prediction markets
Predictions markets have hosted millions of dollars of bets related to the war in Iran.
cnbc.com
Trump fundraising pitch features U.S. soldiers killed in Iran war
The email solicitation to benefit Trump’s PAC also offers donors “private national security briefings.”
cnbc.com
Fertitta in weekend deal talks to acquire Caesars, while billionaire Carl Icahn waits in the wings
The deal, if it gets done, would not be finalized until early April and is not expected to close until 2027.
bbc.com
Trump urges UK and other nations to send warships to Strait of Hormuz
The US president says he hopes China, France, Japan and South Korea will also send ships to defend the key oil shipping route.
theguardian.com
This CEO warns that Democratic voters are most at risk from automation | Arwa Mahdawi
Palantir’s CEO says the platforms will have a vast effect on the electoral landscape … especially women. Is it a warning or a sales pitch?Don’t you just love AI? It has inundated the internet with slop, destabilized the concept of truth, and made it much easier to bomb people. And that’s just the beginning. As we look towards the future of our brave new world, AI might also disrupt all those pesky highly-educated female voters who keep casting a ballot for Democrats.To be clear: that assessment isn’t coming from me, a highly exhausted female who wishes the Democrats would work a little harder for people’s votes. Rather, it’s coming from one of the key architects of our glorious AI-driven economy: Alex Karp, the co-founder and CEO of tech firm Palantir.Arwa Mahdawi is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Trump administration reportedly set to be paid $10bn for brokering TikTok deal
Exceptionally rare ‘fee’ to be paid by investors who took control of US operations from Chinese parent companyDonald Trump’s administration is reportedly poised to be paid $10bn by investors as part of a deal to create a US-controlled version of TikTok.The $10bn, considered by the US government as a sort of transaction fee, will be paid by the administration-friendly investors who took control of TikTok’s US operations from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, according to reporting that first appeared in the Wall Street Journal. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Daylight robbery’: M1 drivers boggle at the rising price of fuel
Woodall services near Sheffield is now one of the UK’s most expensive pit stops, with petrol at 172.9p a litreMiddle East crisis – live updatesOpened in 1968, Woodall services on the M1 near Sheffield is Yorkshire’s oldest roadside service station. This weekend, it was also one of the country’s most expensive pit stops, with diesel priced at 185.9p a litre and petrol at 172.9p.“Do you really want to know what I think? You probably couldn’t print it,” said biker Alan Harrison, who had stopped for a coffee break in the sunshine while heading from Leeds to Bournemouth. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
How the war in Iran and its economic fallout could lead to Trump’s defeat
The war is deeply unpopular, and the spike in oil prices will mean long-term high prices across the board for AmericansDonald Trump is still high on the capture of Nicolás Maduro. The easy abduction of the Venezuelan president didn’t just grant Trump control of the nation’s oil and critical minerals resources. It allowed him to throttle the government of Cuba by denying it access to energy, raising the tantalizing prospect that he might bring down a communist regime that has annoyed Washington since 1959.Trump is confident that his joint venture with Israel in Iran will do just as well. The barrage of Iranian missiles and drones aimed at Israel and Iran’s Arab neighbors has done nothing to change Trump’s mind that he can win, regardless of how he defines “winning”. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Gas prices are soaring – but one Los Angeles gas station is taking it to the extreme
A Chevron station just outside downtown charges more than $8 a gallon – nearly $3 more than the city’s averageIt’s tempting to think that a gas station charging more than $8 a gallon is a glamorous Los Angeles curiosity. Sort of like shopping at Erewhon, the healthy grocery chain that wows with a premium experience – and commands up to $22 a smoothie.But there’s no glamour at the 901 N Alameda Street station. It’s just a dingy Chevron on the edge of LA’s Chinatown, regularly featured in news stories to illustrate the high cost of fuel in California. Midday on Tuesday, the station charged $8.31 for a gallon of regular gas. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Worst nightmare’: anger and frustration as Gulf states bear brunt of war they did not start
Closure of strait of Hormuz puts pressure on region’s economies amid growing resentment about conflict started by US and IsraelMiddle East crisis – live updatesAn eerie quiet hangs over Ras Al Khaimah’s industrial port. Usually a thriving maritime hub of the United Arab Emirates, now ships stand docked and silent. Not far out along the hazy horizon, a backlog of hundreds of tankers have lined up in recent days, halted along a waterway flooded with danger.Any vessel heading past Ras Al Khaimah out to the Arabian Sea must traverse the world’s most treacherous strip of water for shipping today: the strait of Hormuz. Just over 20 nautical miles from Ras Al Khaimah, two oil tankers heading for the strait were attacked by Iranian missiles this week, one catching fire. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Heating oil support 'needs to be delivered now'
Rachel Reeves says the Treasury is also looking at "different options" to help households most vulnerable to soaring energy bills.
cnbc.com
The biggest release of emergency oil stockpiles in history was announced. Why crude may keep rising
Oil prices have surged more than 17% since the International Energy Agency announced the largest release of crude stockpiles in its 50-year history.
theguardian.com
Germany misses climate targets as emissions barely fall in 2025
Greenhouse gases dropped just 0.1% last year as environment minister criticises lack of improvementGreenhouse gas emissions in Germany have again missed targets set by the Climate Protection Act and barely fell at all in 2025.Emissions decreased by just 0.1% last year compared to the previous year, according to data from the German Environment Agency. Continue reading...
bbc.com
'I was charged double for oil I already paid for'
Customers say they are facing inflated prices due to "unfair" practices from suppliers.
theguardian.com
Meta and Google trial: are infinite scroll and autoplay creating addicts?
Features woven into the fabric of platforms have been central to landmark social media harm case in US. How do they work?It was as “easy as ABC”, claimed the lawyer prosecuting a landmark social media harm case against Meta and Google which heard closing arguments this week. The defendants were guilty, said Mark Lanier, of “addicting the brains of children”. Not true, replied the tech companies. Meta insisted providing young people with a “safer, healthier experience has always been core to our work”.Features such as autoplay videos, infinite scrolling and constantly chirruping alerts woven into the fabric of online platforms were central to the six-week trial in Los Angeles, which has been compared to the cases against tobacco companies in the 1990s. But how do these features work and what are their consequences? Are they creating addicts rather than users or are they just giving consumers more of what they want? Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Everything is going up’: Americans struggle with affordability despite Trump’s claims
US workers are finding it difficult to afford basic necessities as the president claims ‘the economy is roaring back’US workers are still struggling with the cost of living despite Donald Trump’s campaign promises to fix the US affordability crisis.The Guardian spoke to workers as an exclusive poll showed cross-party concerns about the Trump administration’s handling of the US economy. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Some oil-loading operations in UAE hub of Fujairah suspended after fire: Reuters
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said U.S. interests in the UAE including ports are targets after U.S. attack on Iranian island.
theguardian.com
War prompts Europeans to switch holidays away from eastern Mediterranean
Summer holidaymakers opting for ‘more familiar, easy-to-reach locations’ as travel industry counts cost of Middle East conflictHolidaymakers who had planned to visit the eastern Mediterranean this summer are moving their trips to the west and the Caribbean because of the US-Israel war on Iran, travel companies have said.Travellers from the UK and mainland Europe are increasingly swapping their holiday destinations away from Cyprus, Turkey and Greece towards Italy, Spain, Malta and Croatia, as the region around the Middle East grapples with flight cancellations and airspace closures. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Wealthy British nationals fleeing Gulf conflict bypass UK to avoid tax bills
High-net-worth residents of UAE heading to Ireland and France to wait out missile attacks before tax year endsWealthy UK nationals fleeing war in the Gulf are seeking sanctuary in countries such as Ireland and France to avoid hefty tax bills back home.In the face of possible demands from HM Revenue and Customs, high-net-worth individuals who had been living in the United Arab Emirates and neighbouring countries are hoping to wait out the missile and drone attacks elsewhere rather than return to the UK. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
NHS and MoD will be urged to buy British tech to drive growth amid Iran crisis
Treasury minister Spencer Livermore trails new strategy as chancellor pins hopes on benefits of AI amid global uncertaintyThe NHS and Ministry of Defence will be urged to buy British tech, as the government pins its hopes on the benefits of artificial intelligence to kickstart growth in the face of the Iran crisis, Treasury minister Spencer Livermore has said.The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, will restate her economic strategy in a high profile lecture on Tuesday, just as rocketing oil prices have raised fears of higher inflation and weaker growth. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Invisible datacentres and capricious chips: is UK’s AI bubble about to burst?
Datacentre investment boom is one of the biggest infrastructure gambles of this era, and Britain may be uniquely exposedStargate was to be the world’s biggest AI investment: a $500bn infrastructure project to “secure American leadership in AI”. Never shy of hyperbole, its key backer, the ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, promised “massive economic benefit for the entire world” with facilities to help people “use AI to elevate humanity”.Now, OpenAI appears to be dropping out of a part of the deal – the expansion of a flagship datacentre stretching across a swathe of land in Abilene, Texas, which has become one of the most visible manifestations of a frenzy of investment in the chips and power plants required to build and run AI. There has been a breakdown in negotiations over project financing, as well as the timeline of when the expanded capacity might come online. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Chancellor to offer support over rising heating oil costs
Rachel Reeves says the Treasury is also looking at "different options" to help households most vulnerable to soaring energy bills.
theguardian.com
Fake rooms, props and a script to lure victims: inside an abandoned Cambodia scam centre
Sprawling compound, including mock-up banks and police offices, uncovered by Thai military during border clashesIt is as if you have walked into a branch of one of Vietnam’s banks. A row of customer service desks, divided by plastic screens, with landline phones, promotional leaflets and staff business cards. A seated waiting area and a private meeting room. All of it features the OCB bank’s logo, or its trademark green colour.This is not a genuine bank branch, however. It’s one of various “mock up” rooms inside a sprawling compound on the Thai-Cambodian border, where criminal groups are accused of using elaborate and industrial-scale fraud schemes to trick victims into handing over money. Continue reading...
bbc.com
She spent 16 hours on Instagram in a day. It's up to a jury to decide if Meta is to blame
A landmark lawsuit will set the stage for thousands of people who say social media platforms are intentionally addictive.
bbc.com
We're not profiteering on fuel. But my staff still face abuse
Independent retailer Goran Raven says the higher oil price is "horrific" for him as well as his customers.
bbc.com
Judge says 'no evidence' to justify Federal Reserve probe
Jeanine Pirro said she would appeal the ruling, which blocks the subpoenas she issued to the central bank.
cnbc.com
Elon Musk says xAI must be 'rebuilt' as co-founder exodus continues, SpaceX IPO awaits
With xAI now in the hands of SpaceX, Elon Musk says he's rebuilding the artificial intelligence company following high-level departures.
theguardian.com
UK petrol retailers claim ‘inflammatory language’ of ministers led to staff abuse
Trade body attends meeting with Rachel Reeves, hours after saying it was pulling out over suggestions of price gouging• Watchdog puts UK fuel retailers ‘on notice’ over profiteering from Iran warThe trade body for the UK’s petrol station industry has got into a row with the government after claiming the “inflammatory language” used by ministers to describe rising pump prices may have incited abuse against forecourt staff.The Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) said ministers had for several days suggested that forecourts might be “price gouging” and “ripping off” motorists as global oil markets have surged in response to the war in Iran. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
The Guardian view on changes to copyright laws: authors should be protected over big tech | Editorial
Writers are voicing their anger at AI theft of their work with ‘Human Authored’ logos and an empty book. The government must listenIn a scene that might have come from a dystopian novel, books were being stamped with “Human Authored” logos at this week’s London Book Fair. The Society of Authors described its labelling scheme as “an important sticking plaster to protect and promote human creativity in lieu of AI labelled content in the marketplace”.Visitors to the fair were also being given copies of Don’t Steal This Book, an anthology of about 10,000 writers including Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro, Malorie Blackman, Jeanette Winterson and Richard Osman, in which the pages are completely blank. The back cover states: “The UK government must not legalise book theft to benefit AI companies.” The message is clear: writers have had enough.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Petrol retailers in row with government over 'rip off' accusations
They briefly threatened to pull out of a government meeting, accusing ministers of using "inflammatory language" over rising fuel prices.
theguardian.com
Making affordable housing a distant prospect | Letter
The towns newly crowned as ‘affordable’ are simply the latest recipients of metropolitan overflow, says Richard EltringhamYour piece on “affordable commuter hotspots” was a welcome reminder that, in Britain, affordability is now a theoretical concept best observed from a moving train (Revealed: the new affordable commuter hotspots in Great Britain, 7 March). Only here could a house become “affordable” the moment you attach a season ticket priced like a minor surgical procedure. It’s the sort of logic that would make sense only to someone who has never attempted either.We’ve quietly accepted that the solution to unaffordable housing is … distance. Not building homes, not reforming planning, just encouraging people to live far enough away that the numbers look respectable on a spreadsheet. The towns newly crowned as “affordable” are simply the latest recipients of metropolitan overflow, rewarded with more commuters and none of the infrastructure. Continue reading...
bbc.com
UK economy flatlines in January as people cut back on eating out
Analysts had been expecting 0.2% growth for the UK economy at the beginning of the year.
bbc.com
New US trade probe targets EU, Canada, UK over forced labour
The US said it would examine whether countries are effectively blocking goods made with "forced labour".
cnbc.com
European stocks close lower as oil prices hold near $100 a barrel
European stocks closed lower Friday as the conflict in the Middle East brought mixed signals to markets.
cnbc.com
Fourth-quarter GDP revised down to just 0.7% growth; January core inflation was 3.1%
The PCE price index for January was expected to show headline inflation at 2.9% and core at 3.1%.
bbc.com
US easing of Russia oil sanctions draws criticism
Leaders in Europe and Canada have pushed back against Washington's move to allow Russia to sell stranded oil.
theguardian.com
Tell us: has the conflict in the Middle East affected your household or business costs?
We’d like to hear from people in the UK who have seen the cost of goods or services increase or experienced delays, cancellations or other disruptionsThe conflict in the Middle East, disruption to global shipping routes and rising oil prices are beginning to have knock-on effects on supply chains and energy markets around the world.Petrol prices have begun to rise, while turbulence in financial markets has pushed up mortgage rates. Higher transport and supply costs can also feed through into the price of goods and services. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Why has Trump eased sanctions on Russian oil - and will it help Putin?
The US said easing sanctions on Russian oil would provide only a limited financial boost to Putin.
bbc.com
Why both partners need to be across a couple's money
Martin Lewis explains why both partners in a relationship need to know what financial products they hold.
cnbc.com
Cuba’s president confirms talks with U.S. — but warns an agreement will take time
It comes at a time when the Caribbean island is grappling with a worsening economic crisis.
cnbc.com
Who is really footing the AI energy bill? Inside the debate about data center electricity costs
The hyperscalers racing to build the data centers needed for the AI boom have a PR crisis on their hands, but the industry is not taking the problem lying down.
cnbc.com
Many Dubai expats fled as the war in the Middle East escalated. Those that stayed say life is 'functioning but tense'
Iran has launched a volley of drone and missiles in the Middle East, including against the UAE, following U.S.-Israeli strikes on the country.
bbc.com
What on earth is going on with the oil price?
Oil price moves have made headlines since the Iran conflict started - but why have there been such sharp swings?
bbc.com
Dharshini David: Economy on shaky ground even before Iran war
The government's hopes that 2026 would be the year when growth picks up are at risk of being scuppered.
bbc.com
'My hotel bill is £12,000': British holidaymakers stranded by Iran war
Flights are restricted due to the conflict leaving people stuck running up bills for rooms and food.
cnbc.com
U.S. 'misadventure' in Iran has no clear exit strategy, Russia's UK ambassador says
His comments to CNBC come as the U.S. and Israeli-led war appears poised to enter its third week.
bbc.com
Post Office scandal 'has taken 21 years of my life'
Seema Misra calls for accountability as a report by MPs raises concerns about ongoing delays.
theguardian.com
Dynasty: The Murdochs review – who cares which billionaire will control even more billions?
This Netflix’s documentary about Rupert’s warring children blurs the lines with HBO drama Succession. But, ultimately, it’s a depressing catalogue of nepotism that it’s hard to be enthused about‘To explain the Murdochs, you have to understand the television show Succession.” So quips New York Times writer Jim Rutenberg a few minutes into this four-part documentary about Rupert Murdoch’s empire – and, specifically, his children’s battle for control of it when he dies.It’s a canny opener. Jesse Armstrong’s series about media mogul Logan Roy and his warring children, thought to be based on the Murdochs, was a gripping smash hit, and this documentary is soon excitedly matching the eldest Murdoch siblings – independent Prudence from Rupert’s first marriage, dutiful favourite Lachlan, “problem child” James and brilliant but overlooked (pesky X chromosomes!) Elisabeth – to their Succession counterparts. (Rupert’s two younger daughters from his third marriage aren’t in the running.) But don’t be fooled: despite the suspenseful strings and off-key piano motifs, this is no Emmy-award-winning drama. Rather, it is an exhausting if exhaustive rundown of all things Murdoch, with the siblings’ manoeuvrings often the least interesting part. In the documentary, as in life, they are overshadowed by their dad.Dynasty: The Murdochs is on Netflix now Continue reading...
bbc.com
PwC planning to increase the number of graduates it takes on
Last year the consultancy cut its graduate intake, but UK boss Marco Amitrano says it is still worth getting a degree.
theguardian.com
Victorian homes for sale in England – in pictures
From a grand country house built by a merchant seaman to a rustic railway worker’s cottage within historic city walls Continue reading...
bbc.com
Can Ukraine's war-torn wheatfields be cleansed?
Researchers take 8,000 soil samples from battlefields to see if it is safe to grow crops.
bbc.com
KPop Demon Hunters to return as Netflix announces sequel
The sequel brings back the co-directors of the first film, which was a smash-hit for the streaming service.
bbc.com
Qantas agrees to pay $74m over Covid-19 travel voucher refunds
The case relates to cancelled flights during the pandemic, for which customers were given credits instead of cash.
bbc.com
Can plastic-eating fungi help clean up nappy waste?
Cost and convenience have made disposable nappies dominant - can start-ups compete?
bbc.com
Oil price back above $100 despite deal to release record amount of reserves
It comes as Iranian attacks on ships intensify in the crucial Strait of Hormuz waterway.
bbc.com
Pottery firm Denby to appoint administrators
The famous company said rising costs had "squeezed the business financially".
bbc.com
Why animals will replace historical figures on bank notes
British wildlife will replace historical figures on the next series of Bank of England banknote
bbc.com
Jo Malone sued for using her own name in collaboration with Zara
The perfumier sold the rights to her name in 1999 but has previously said she regretted the move.
bbc.com
Lloyds, Bank of Scotland and Halifax apps showed customers other users' transactions
The Lloyds Banking Group customers reported being able to view payments and charges from other sources.
cnbc.com
Why gold hasn’t moved since the Iran conflict — and where it could go next
Though the war in Iran has continued for almost two weeks, the price of the yellow metal has barely moved.
cnbc.com
Trump raises the stakes on China with Section 301 trade probe, weeks before Beijing summit
Trump raises the stakes on China with Section 301 probe ahead of Beijing summit
bbc.com
How Iran war laid bare the world's reliance on Gulf oil and gas
Countries around the world are feeling the impact of the conflict and the resulting energy price shock.
cnbc.com
The two oil pipelines helping Saudi Arabia and UAE bypass the Strait of Hormuz
Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline and the UAE's Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline are thought to be able to help partially offset the Strait of Hormuz blockage.
cnbc.com
Powering AI: Europe switches on its first microgrid-connected data center
AVK and Pure Data Centers’ microgrid facility in Ireland could mark the region’s first step toward a privately powered ecosystem.
bbc.co.uk
The Inquiry
How Poland’s economy became one of Europe’s fastest-growing success stories
theguardian.com
Fuel tankers burst into flames in Iraqi waters after suspected Iranian boat attacks – video
Iranian boats appear to have attacked two fuel tankers, which were seen ablaze after projectiles struck three vessels in Iraqi waters, port officials said. The ships targeted in late-night armed boat attacks in the Gulf near Iraq were the Marshall Islands-flagged Safesea Vishnu and the Malta-flagged Zefyros. Continue reading...
bbc.com
A small US grocer is calling out the lower prices at big chains
It is 'impossible for us to compete', says the boss of a New York grocery store.
theguardian.com
How much worse could Iran war make the cost of living crisis? – The Latest
Rising oil prices and market turmoil as a result of the war in the Middle East are fuelling fears the cost of living crisis could get even tougher. Energy bills, mortgage rates and petrol prices could all surge in the fallout from the conflict. So how much could the war tighten the screws on our personal finances? Lucy Hough speaks to the deputy editor of the Guardian’s money section, Rupert Jones – watch on YouTubeHow will war in the Middle East affect your finances? Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Five things to know about Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei
"The Iranians are showing defiance by choosing the son of Khamenei," a former diplomat told CNBC.
bbc.com
The Aldi-style disruptors who could be about to shake up the vets market
As pet owners complain of rising prices, independent practices want to take on the big chains.
theguardian.com
How Iran has used the strait of Hormuz to throttle oil and gas – a visual guide
The Tehran regime has weaponised geography in retaliation for the attacks by the US and Israel Global oil markets have recorded some of the biggest price swings in history this week after the US-Israeli war with Iran throttled the flow of Middle Eastern crude through the strait of Hormuz.The narrow waterway south of Iran is one of the world’s most important trade arteries, through which a fifth of global oil and seaborne gas is shipped from production facilities and refineries in the Gulf to buyers around the world. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Thinking Allowed
Living with debt - and has inequality become ingrained? Laurie Taylor hears new research.
bbc.com
GPS jamming: The invisible battle in the Middle East
GPS jamming has made navigation hazardous in the Gulf, spurring efforts to develop alternatives.
bbc.com
Spain's migrants welcome amnesty: 'It will help us in every way'
Madrid cites humanitarian and economic reasons to give undocumented workers legal status.
bbc.com
Can snacks help you sleep?
Chocolates, bars, gummies and drinks promise to help you sleep, but is the science behind them sound?
bbc.com
We have more privacy controls yet less privacy than ever
Has online privacy become "a luxury not a right" for us all in 2026?
bbc.com
Know when to fold them: the tech inspired by origami
Origami techniques can add strength to structures without adding bulk.
bbc.com
Deepfake attack: 'Many people could have been cheated'
The boss of the Bombay Stock Exchange was recently targeted in what is a growing global problem.
bbc.com
Why you can't get a signal at festivals and sports matches
Connecting up music and sports events to the internet is a massive undertaking.
bbc.com
The family-owned soda firm that still uses returnable glass bottles
Soft drinks company Twig's Beverage has a loyal following for its old-fashioned approach.
cnbc.com
Register now: Applications open for the World's Top Fintech Companies 2026
CNBC and Statista chart the top fintech players from around the world, ranging from startups to Big Tech names.
bbc.com
The real impact of roadworks on the country - and why they're set to get worse
There is a fine balance between the benefits of improved infrastructure, versus the cost of disruption. Does the country have it right?
bbc.com
Why the railways often seem to be in such chaos over Christmas
Parts of Britain’s rail network will close for engineering work over the festive period - but is that the right time to do it?
bbc.com
Budget 2025: What's the best and worst that could happen for Labour?
Three days in, after a tax U-turn and partial climbdown on workers' rights, Laura Kuenssberg looks at what impact Budget week might have.
bbc.com
Has Britain's budget watchdog become too all-powerful?
Ahead of this week's Budget, some have accused the Office for Budget Responsibility of being a "straitjacket on growth"
bbc.com
The curious case of why Poundland is struggling during a cost-of-living crisis
Why - in an age where so many of us are feeling the financial pinch - are some budget shops on UK high streets having such a tough time?
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